Palace concerned over terror threat after soldiers' slays in Jolo

Malacanang has expressed concern over the reported escape of two female suicide bombers after four soldiers were killed by policemen in Sulu earlier this week.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the attack that the two had been planning could still happen following the incident near a police station in Jolo.

“Nakakalungkot po na bagamat in addition doon sa nawalan ng buhay sa ating Hukbong Sandatahan, iyong apat kasama ang isang major, eh nakawala po iyong mga teroristang hinahabol ng ating Hukbong Sandatahan,” Roque said in a briefing.

He added the threat of terrorism remained.

“Iyong pinaplano ng mga teroristang iyan na mangbomba ay pupuwedeng mangyari kahit anong oras dahil hindi nga po sila napigilan noong mga napatay na kasundaluhan,” Roque said.

Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay said the two suicide bombers were married to the men involved in the suicide bombing attacks in Indanan, also in Sulu, last year.

Gapay said the four intelligence officers were trying to pinpoint the house of the suicide bombers when they were flagged down by police officers. 

“These are the suspected bombers. So nando’n na, they’re about to capture them, ‘yung bahay na lang pini-pinpoint

“Imagine, these two could make two more Jolo Cathedral bombings ha. ‘Yun ang potential nila,” he added.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo on Friday vowed that there would be no let-up in hunting the alleged suicide bombers who had escaped.

"The disruption of the operation due to that unfortunate incident was a temporary setback. The entire AFP machinery and infrastructure are still in place and on track," Arevalo said in a press statement.

"The security and intelligence operations in Sulu continue in full swing up to this very moment. The guidance of the AFP Chief General Felimon Santos, Jr. to the troops: 'Eyes on the ball,'" he added.

A police spot report stated that a shooting incident transpired when the soldiers supposedly escaped and pointed their weapons at the police officers.

The National Bureau of Investigation, which was tapped to look into the incident, said one of the killed government troops had eight gunshot wounds while three gunshot wounds were found on the other two soldiers.

Gapay described the incident as murder while the Philippine National Police said it was a shooting incident. The PNP Internal Affairs Service is conducting a motu proprio investigation on the incident.

President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to talk to PNP and AFP officials this afternoon regarding the matter. -NB, GMA News